Heroes, Heroines, and History

The New Eleanor (Part 2)

2026-06-15T23:30:00.000-05:00

By Catherine Ulrich Brakefield

In last month’s blog, Eleanor’s parents had passed away, and she and her brother were now orphans. Eleanor was the niece of President Theodore Roosevelt of the Oyster Bay Branch and the daughter of his younger brother Elliott.

Elliott was a womanizer, an alcoholic, and his one shining attribute was that he adored his daughter, and she adored him in return. Not so with Eleanor’s beautiful and talented mother. She thought ‘Little Nell' was plain, boring, and much too serious for a little girl. So, when Eleanor's mother died in 1892, Theodore Roosevelt’s wife said, “I do not feel she has much chance, poor little soul.”

Eleanor was eight at the time. Two years later, her father died. So, it would seem the Roosevelts of Oyster Bay had wiped their hands of these orphans. But it is not the case with Eleanor’s maternal grandmother, Mary Livingstone Ludlow Hall, which had plenty on her plate to keep her busy. So, what were two more children who needed her?

Grandmother Hall was determined that no one would forget about her granddaughter or grandson. Not on her watch. Her grandmother ensured that Eleanor’s education was not lacking. At the early age of fifteen, Eleanor was sent to England and attended the Allenwood School. Her teachers immediately noted the intellectual mind behind the reserved demeanor.

Little did Eleanor know that God was laying the foundation for her future husband and her life’s work. She would see Romans 8:28 materialize during her later years, “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (NKJV)

She would impart the experiences she learned throughout her life into practical wisdom for future generations to gleam strength from her weekly column, My Day.

The shy and often timid Eleanor at first wasn’t ready for the sudden boost to her ego that this trip to England would bring. Her teachers persisted that she utilize her intelligence and to ignore the criticism she may encounter. She would later write in her weekly column, My Day, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by doing the thing which you think you cannot do.”

The criticism she encountered in her youth had come from her mother. Suddenly, Eleanor felt as if she had sprouted wings. Yes, wings of confidence in her new image. These learned teachers thought her intelligent and encouraged her to new heights. Eleanor wisely stored each new experience into her heart, often humorous, as she would one day write in My Day, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”

Eleanor returned to New York at eighteen as a different person from when she had left. She was now a young lady of grace and poise, self-confident and knowledgeable. She accepted the invitations to balls, teas, and other social events with confidence. She understood what her social status required; however, she now added the flavor of her intellect to all occasions. Eleanor would someday write in her weekly column, My Day, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.”

Her family and friends soon learned she had a will and mind of her own. She was determined to dedicate her time to the New York City Community. This was not heard of. Society ladies contributed generously to the social functions for such institutions but rarely visited the institutions. Not so with Elanor. She joined the Junior League and Rivington Street Settlement House and volunteered her time willingly. She later wrote in, My Day, “I can’t tell you how to succeed, but I can tell you how to fail: Try to please everybody.”

Meanwhile, Eleanor’s future husband, Franklin Roosevelt was the most eligible bachelor of the Hyde Park Roosevelts, the scion of the time. Franklin’s mother was a Delano of a French Huguenot family (originally de la Noye). They were quite the socialites who happened to make their wealth in trading opium, and then they married well into the Astor dynasty.

Franklin was an individualist who would often take his leave from the dinners and parties and sought the refuge of the ocean waves. He became an adept sailor and boat handler. He desired to follow his dream and go to the Naval School at Annapolis for a Navy career. Instead, he was sent to Groton and Harvard. Much to his parents’ displeasure, he was not considered one of the popular men.

It was a chance encounter seeing a familiar face across a crowded room of gaily dipping and swirling taffeta skirts swirling about gracefully amidst the twinkling chandelier lite ballroom when Franklin caught a glimpse of Eleanor. Soon, he hoped to catch a glimpse of her again across the party tables of society or the ballrooms of flowing silk and taffeta gowns, amidst the tainted giggles and whispers of gossip. Eleanor would later write in her weekly column, My Day, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.”

It didn’t take Franklin long to notice that Eleanor was different from the other girls he had known. She was witty, intelligent, and smart enough to outwit him on occasion. She was equally enchanting in demeanor, and he enjoyed talking openly with her, knowing her true character, so that he did not need to worry that what he confided in her would go no further.

Franklin’s mother was appalled to learn of her son’s plans to wed Eleanor. They met in 1902, and amid the brisk breeze in November of 1903, Franklin’s mind was made up. His mother argued that they both were far too young to marry. She even made her son promise to keep this engagement quiet for at least a year. Plotting to get Franklin’s attention off Eleanor, she introduced her son to other girls in hopes of swaying his feelings for Eleanor.

The Roosevelts have persuaded their son in many of his passions, but Franklin was not to be influenced when it came to choosing his bride. He would have no other but his fifth cousin, Eleanor. In December’s chill of 1904, he announced his engagement.

They were married in New York City on March 17, 1905, in the home of Eleanor’s grandmother on East 76th Street. It also so happened to be during St. Patrick’s Day. President Theodore Roosevelt gave his niece away, and sadly, most of the focus was on the President then on the totally in-love and happy couple. Their vows were said to the tune of ‘The Wearing of the Green’ and drowned in the sea of merriment as the parade filled the street below them. Eleanor was twenty-one, and Franklin was twenty-three. Eleanor couldn’t be happier. She would later write in My Day, “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”

They had to put off their planned honeymoon to Europe because Franklin was still in school. So, after a week’s bliss spent in Hyde Park, the newlyweds set up housekeeping in a New York City apartment.

Eleanor’s preparation for the marriage bed was little to none. Alice, the president’s daughter, read aloud the Old Testament to her and sought out the “begat’ passages with pointed clarity. Eleanor hardly knew what to expect. She would later write in, My Day, “A woman is like a tea bag—you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”

Check out July’s blog for what happens next in Eleanor’s life.

Swept into Destiny: Ben (first book of the Destiny series). McConnell is a proud Irish immigrant who is determined not to give up despite hunger and deprivation. He clings to his mustard seed faith, believing that nothing is impossible.

Maggie Gatlan is a rebel disguised as a Southern belle. Ben's and Maggie’s journeys delve deeply into the truth about faith and devotion. “… Brakefield’s flowing descriptions pull you into Swept into Destiny and keep you immersed in the world of the Antebellum South…This isn’t just a world of beaus, belles, and balls, but of moral ambiguity and searches for truth…” L.H. Reader

Catherine is the award-winning author of Wilted Dandelions, Swept into Destiny, Destiny’s Whirlwind, Destiny of Heart, Waltz with Destiny, and Love's Final Sunrise. She has written two pictorial history books, The Lapeer Area and Eastern Lapeer, and short stories for Guideposts Books, CrossRiver Media Group, Revell Books, and Bethany House Publishers. Catherine and her husband of fifty-three years live on a ranch in Michigan and have two adult children, five grandchildren, four Arabian horses, two dogs, two cats, one bunny, and six chickens. See CatherineUlrichBrakefield.com for more information.

https://www.azquotes.com/author/12603-Eleanor_Roosevelt#google_vignette

https://www.historytoday.com/archive/franklin-and-eleanor-roosevelt%E2%80%99s-wedding

She Died of a Broken Heart

2026-06-15T00:00:00.000-05:00

by Sherry Shindelar

The story of Cynthia Anne Parker captured my heart a couple decades ago, and she still haunts my imagination.

Reconstructed Fort Parker

Cynthia was taken captive by Comanches at age nine during an attack on her family’s fort in the Texas frontier in 1836. Her father and several other extended family members were killed, and her brother John, her cousin Rachel, and a couple other family members were captured along with her.

Her Aunt Elizabeth was rescued a couple months after the attack. Her cousin Rachel, who had been badly abused by the tribe, was returned a couple of years later and died within a year of her return. John adopted the Comanche lifestyle and lived with the tribe for years before eventually leaving the tribe to farm in Mexico. But Cynthia became Comanche and became an integral part of the tribe for over twenty-four years.

She married an influential war chief, Peta Nocona, and had three children with him, including Quanah Parker, a powerful Comanche chief. Several times over the years, Indian agents and traders attempted to ransom her, but she refused to go, and the tribe refused to trade her.

Cynthia Ann Parker and Prairie Flower after they were captured by U.S. Cavalry and Texas Rangers

In December 1860, Texas Rangers attacked her village and captured her and her baby girl, Prairie Flower (Topsanah), killing everyone else in the village. Eventually, one of Cynthia’s relatives claimed her and took her to live with his family, but she refused to accept this new life that was being forced upon her. Several times, she tried to run away to the open plains, desperate to find her husband and her sons. Her uncle eventually agreed to help her look for her people, but they’d have to wait until the Civil War ended.

Prairie Flower died, word came that Cynthia’s son Pecos had passed away, as well, and the Civil War dragged on. Cynthia lost hope of ever being reunited with two remaining members of her beloved family, Nocona and Quanah. Overcome by sadness and longing, she sank into a deep depression and died of a broken heart.

Quannah Parker, Cynthia Ann's son who became one of the most famous Comanche chiefs

Cynthia Ann’s story, the story of a woman torn between cultures, has perplexed, intrigued, and haunted me since I read it. My heart aches for her loss, and questions flood my mind. Some stories are like that. They stay with you, and this one was all the more indelible because it was true and filled with unknowns.

In Texas Forsaken, Book One of my Lone Star Redemption series, I developed a character inspired by Cynthia Ann, started at the moment of crisis, and wrote a different trajectory. I couldn’t give Cynthia Ann a happy resolution, but I could give my character Eyes-Like-Sky a muted happy-ever-after. Eyes-Like-Sky has a second chance at life and love.

Wichita Path Sacrifice, my novella, which is included in Freed by the Frontier, is the prequel and is inspired by the captive stories of Cynthia Ann Parker and her cousin, Rachel Plummer.

Originally from Tennessee, Sherry loves to take her readers into the past. A romantic at heart, she is an avid student of the Civil War and the Old West. Sherry is a multi-award-winning writer. She currently resides in Minnesota with her husband of forty-one years.

Connect with Sherry: website, newsletter, Amazon, FB, Goodreads

Three remarkable women find themselves caught between two worlds on the American frontier. A captive of the Comanche must choose between escaping to white society or her growing feelings for a rising war chief in 1850s Texas. A Georgia judge's daughter flees an unwanted betrothal, only to be captured by Creek warriors but protected by a mysterious brave. And in 1754, an English lady traveling the Great Wagon Road discovers her carefully planned future may not survive her attraction to a protective frontiersman.

Three unforgettable romances prove that God's greatest blessings often come disguised as our greatest challenges, and that true love can bridge any divide.

Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870 - Part 2 by Denise M. Colby

2026-06-14T04:30:00.000-05:00

This is the PART TWO of my two-part post about Cincinnati, Ohio in 1870. I had gathered so much research for my recent book, A Whole New Plan, that I divided it into two parts. If you are interested in reading PART ONE, click on this link.

The Red Stockings

Image downloaded from of Detroit Public Library website

I love baseball and was excited to learn that Cincinnati had the very first fully paid baseball team in 1869. The name was the Red Stockings. They traveled all over the country and played over 60 games that season, winning the 57 that were part of the league (the only perfect season for a team, ever). All other teams would mostly have volunteers and a few paid players, so this team was also a rarity and had a huge following because of it.

Nine of the original players stayed and played in 1870. They won many in the first half of the season, but had a losing streak later, which caused the team to disband. Some of the business men involved were hired by a man in Boston to form a team. A few of the Cincinnati players went to play for this newly formed team named the Boston Red Stockings in 1871 (that became the Boston Braves, which then moved to Atlanta in 1966). At first I thought it would be tied to the Boston Red Sox, but that team wasn’t formed until 1901.

The new Cincinnati Reds formed a few years later. As associations came and went, so did teams. The current Cincinnati Reds do consider the Cincinnati Red Stockings as part of their history, even though there was a few years gap in between organizations.

To continue on with the theme of baseball, the first baseball league, called The National Association of Base Ball Players, was formed in 1857. It changed after the 1870 season to the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. This organization lasted until 1876 with the formation of the National League of Professional Base Ball Clubs, which was the foundation of the baseball leagues we have today.

Since my characters are in Cincinnati, I added a bit about the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Will, the hero in A Whole New Plan, is from California in a small ranching community that plays baseball in a field during the fall harvest celebration each year (I have a baseball game scene in my first book, When Plans Go Awry) but he’s never seen a professional team before, so when he comes across a promotion for the team, he makes note of it.

Crime and Crime Bosses

First let’s talk about Crime Bosses. Since I have one in A Whole New Plan, I needed to know what they could be focused on, where in the city they were located, and how they operated. In my research, I didn’t find any specific crime boss’s in 1870, but I did find some from the 1880’s, so I incorporated things I learned about “Boss Cox”.

George “Boss” Cox was a political boss who ruled in the 1880’s. He went from a barkeep to a city councilman. Then found his way onto the property tax board where he began cutting deals with business owners and pocketing the funds. He ruled the city for 25 years. And it was because of him that reforms were created about how much power one role could wield. In his eyes everything ran smooth, organized, and clean, even though he most likely traded favors for votes, and influenced candidates and policy. I read different reports, but I did find multiple sources calling his reign corrupt.

George "Boss" Cox (Photo from Wikipedia)

I sort of went with someone similar in A Whole New Plan. The bad guy (named Boss Man) owns a lot of establishments in town that could pay and influence city officials, including the police.

Besides Cox, there was a street gang called the Nuttle Gang and they supposedly terrorized the Dublin Street area. They would swarm victims (there were so many of them) so no one could really identify them. They claimed the abandoned railroad tunnels as their own, and when delivery wagons had to pass the area, a “tax” had to be paid. Since many of these were breweries, an extra keg was put in the delivery wagon’s to give to the gang.

Other Crimes

There was one other type of crime I learned about that was a little creepy, but part of Cincinnati history that I want to share. Body snatching was a popular type of felony committed in Cincinnati through 1871 (before a crackdown on the practice happened). Providing cadavers to medical schools was a lucrative trade. So grave robbers would dig them out of the ground and get paid for each body retrieved. I can only imagine how many families would not be happy to find the grave of a loved one dug apart and the body missing.

Eateries

In my story, my “Boss Man” owned eateries. So in my research I found that many were built in key areas.

Riverfront: with the Ohio river being a vital transportation route, the docks and surrounding areas would have had many establishments in 1870 to serve travelers, workers, and sailors.

Downtown: because this was close to the river, there was a lot of commercial activity downtown and there would be taverns, inns, and restaurants serving business travelers as well as residents.

High-traffic areas: areas with high foot traffic would have been prime locations for food vendors, simple eateries, and restaurants.

Neighborhood hubs: many neighborhoods featured a mix of businesses such as local taverns and food shops to serve the growing communities formed. These residential areas sometimes were grouped based on immigrant culture. They all had names including “Over-The-Rhine (OTR)” and “Columbia-Tusculum”.

Photo from the Cincinnati Library Collection

In my book, I decided to have a restaurant called “The Fish Grotto” on the riverfront that served a well-known fish patty sandwich. I had found references to several different types of fish sandwiches that were served by restaurants including a Victorian era fish cake that combined flaked poached codfish with mashed potatoes, eggs, and seasonings. They would be formed into cakes and then sauteed in butter until crispy.

A fun-fact (not set in 1871) was that the owner of the Cincinnati McDonalds created the first filet-o-fish in 1962 that then became a menu staple in all McDonalds across the country.

Old Photos of Cincinnatti

I found a Facebook page specifically for old photos of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Overall

After the civil war, Cincinnati was by far Ohio’s largest city. The sheer number of people who lived in the city (one report says 200,000 and one said 300,000) made it the country’s most densest population. In comparison, Sacramento, California was the 10th largest city in the nation but only had 16,283 (in the city only). I tried to capture this through Will’s eyes. What would it be like to come from a city the size of Sacramento to the size of Cincinnati?

Photo from the Cincinnati Library Collection

Book 4 in the Best-laid Plans Series releases May 26, 2026

California, 1870. Pastor William Baker built his life on steady faith and safe choices, but the arrival of Lydia Spencer upends everything. Independent and outspoken Lydia is unlike any woman he’s ever known. Lydia is a Pinkerton detective, undercover as a schoolteacher while tracking a dangerous crime boss. She’s determined to protect her friends in Washton even if it means keeping her distance from the kind, steadfast pastor who sees too much. But when Will and Lydia are thrown together in a search for truth they find themselves fighting not only for justice, but for a future neither had planned.

Denise M. Colby writes historical romance sweetened with faith, hope, and love. She finds history fascinating and contemplates often how it was to live in the 1800's. Her debut novel, When Plans Go Awry, is a 2025 Carol Award finalist. Sign up for her newsletter at www.denisemcolby.com or follow Denise on Facebook, Instagram, Bookbub, Pinterest, or GoodReads.

Two Kentucky Towns That Moved: How Eddyville and Kuttawa Survived Lake Barkley

2026-06-13T02:00:00.000-05:00

Imagine seventy years ago, walking a street in Eddyville, Kentucky, a small town on the banks of the Cumberland River.

You’d hear the whistle of the Illinois Central train as it passes through town. On the river, steamboats and barges travel upstream and down. The street is lined with frame houses and small businesses. Since the town is the county seat of Lyon County, much activity centers around government offices. The waterfront is only a few blocks away.

The "Castle on the Cumberland" sat on a bluff above the
Cumberland River until the creation of Lake Barkley.

On a bluff south of town, a huge ornate structure overshadows the town. Nicknamed the “Castle on the Cumberland,” this is the Kentucky State Penitentiary, opened in 1889 and the state’s only maximum security facility.

Aerial view of the Kentucky State Penitentiary at Eddyville
before much of the surrounding area
was inundated by Lake Barkley

Today, the prison and a few houses built on that bluff are all that remain. The rest of the original town lies under Lake Barkley, created when the U.S. Corps of Engineers built Barkley Dam starting in 1959.

Unlike some towns lost to Kentucky Lake, as I described in my last post, Eddyville survived—but in a new location.

Eddyville and neighboring Kuttawa were the primary towns affected by the creation of Lake Barkley. Residents of both, built on low-lying areas adjacent to the river, had endured frequent floods. But following the massive January 1937 flood devastated western Kentucky communities on the Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio Rivers, the U.S. government began to build dams for flood control.

After Kentucky Dam was completed on the Tennessee River in 1944, local residents heard rumors of another dam on the parallel Cumberland River. By the mid-1950s, the rumors were confirmed, and residents whose land would be inundated wondered where they would go.

A Lyon County native, Lee S. Jones, had become a wealthy tax lawyer in Louisville and had begun buying farmland in the Fairview community about three miles north of Eddyville. He approached the Eddyville City Council with a plan to move the town. Each person or business owning land in either Eddyville or Kuttawa that would be inundated by the new lake would be given a free parcel in the relocated town on the land he provided.

Map showing the locations of Old and New Eddyville and Kuttawa after Lake Barkley was formed.
The Kentucky State Penitentiary, which did not move, is near the site of the original town of Eddyville, now underwater.

On August 28, 1959, a ceremony was held for “Dedication and Free Deed Day” at the new site. A large group of people assembled in a field, and Mr. Jones presented deeds for about 60 residential lots. The town grew from there, and in 2020, the population was 2,246.

Creation of the lake forced relocation of the Illinois Central Railroad and many county roads, as well as U.S. 62 and U.S. 68. Many of those abandoned roads now lie beneath the water, although when the lake is at its lowest during winter pool, old roadbeds and abandoned bridge approaches can sometimes be seen.

One surviving residence, nestled in the shadow of the penitentiary, now houses the Rose Hill Museum, which depicts the history of Lyon County and the Between the Rivers region through its collections.

Nearby Kuttawa was built on terraces overlooking the river, and many of its original residences on higher ground survived. However, much of the business district, built on low-lying ground, was covered by the lake.

Main street of Kuttawa, Ky, in 1939 (National Archives photo)

At its peak as a bustling rivertown in the early 20th century, the population of Kuttawa reached 1,100; in the 2020 census, it numbered 637.

The route of the Illinois Central Railroad passed through Kuttawa, and portions of the old rail alignment can still be traced beneath the lake and are sometimes visible in aerial imagery or during low water. Building foundations and pavement occasionally emerge during winter drawdown, too.

Kuttawa is the subject of Drowned Town, a novel by Jane Moore Waldrop. Using interconnected stories, the book explores the emotional reality of displacement—the feeling of losing not just property, but identity, memory, and community.

In many ways, Eddyville and Kuttawa represent many communities that have been relocated in the name of progress. On the shores of Lake Barkley, the past can seem surprisingly close.

SOURCES:

Eddyville, Kentucky

Kuttawa, Kentucky

Welcome to Lake Barkley!

Learn About Lake Barkley | KentuckyLake.com

Eddyville, Kentucky - Four Rivers Explorer

Exploring The Ruins Of Old Kuttawa - Four Rivers Explorer

The History of Land Between the Lakes: From Settlements to Recreation – Kentucky Historic Travels

A Day at Rose Hill: Uncovering Lyon County’s Hidden Gems – Kentucky Historic Travels

Multi-award-winning author Marie Wells Coutu finds beauty in surprising places, like undiscovered treasures, old houses, and gnarly trees. All three books in her Mended Vessels series, contemporary stories based on the lives of biblical women, have won awards in multiple contests. She is currently working on historical romances set in her native western Kentucky in the 1930s and ‘40s. An unpublished novel, Shifting Currents, placed second in the inspirational category of the nationally recognized Maggie Awards. Learn more at www.MarieWellsCoutu.com.

When the lights of Broadway dim, Delia leaves the city behind. But will her family welcome her home again?

The historical short story, “All That Glistens,” was inspired by an old photo of a woman from the Between the Rivers area of western Kentucky. The story was included in the 2023 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction collection and is now available free when you sign up for Marie's newsletter here. In her newsletter, she shares about her writing, historical tidbits, recommended books, and sometimes recipes.

Coming to America - Live Theater

2026-06-12T01:30:00.000-05:00

By Kathy Kovach

Storytelling is as old as time. It’s how God wired us. I’m sure Moses sat near the fire, regaling the Israelites with stories about his ancestors. “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,” (Psalms 78:2, ASV.)

Centuries later, Jesus took principles and made them into relatable stories that he orally taught to those gathered. “Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,” (Matthew 13:35, WEB.)

The ancient Greeks and Egyptians honed storytelling to an art. They were so successful that their blueprint stood the test of time. Entire nations were influenced, none more so than Great Britain.

From there, it was only a matter of time before it would hop the pond.

In 1510, European theater made it to Puerto Rico, giving the island the honor of becoming the first to hold refined performances in the Americas.

In the 16th century, theater moved north, and plays were performed in the Spanish-held territories that eventually became the United States. In what is now known as Louisiana, several performances took place on October 12, 1721. The town of Los Adaes celebrated the arrival of the Spanish governor, the Marquis de San Miguel de Aguayo. This cultural event brought the people together to solidify Spanish control after a time of uncertainty.

Hamlet and his mother

By the early 18th century, two theaters had been built in Williamsburg, Virginia and Charleston, South Carolina. However, it wasn’t until the British actor and theater manager Lewis Hallam brought his theatrical company to Williamsburg in 1752 that the first complete company of actors was organized. The Hallam Company performed the top European plays at the time—Hamlet, Othello, and Richard III to name a few. Their first, Merchant of Venice, was performed on September 15, 1752. Unfortunately, they encountered opposition from religious organizations and moved the operation to Jamaica around 1755.

English actor David Douglass met Hallam in Jamaica. After Hallam’s death, Douglass married his widow, actress and theater director Sarah Hallam. The two traveled with the company, now known as the American Company, to Philadelphia where they opened the Southwark Theatre in 1766. This was considered the first permanent theater in America. On a roll, they also built the John Street Theater in 1767, modeling it after Southwark. There, the first American-written play, The Prince of Parthia by poet Thomas Godfrey, was performed in that same year.

Quakers

American Colonial era theater suffered the same opposition as England had during its turbulent times. Those in Puritan and Quaker regions felt it was frivolous and often sacrilegious. Others opposed any British influence, as most of the plays had come from there. Massachusetts in 1750, Pennsylvania in 1759, and Rhode Island in 1761 all banned theater performances. Most of the states followed during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) thanks to the Continental Congress.

It was difficult to come back from such prejudices. In 1794, Yale College president, Timothy Dwight IV, wrote the following in Essay on Theatre:

". . . to indulge a taste for playgoing means nothing more or less than the loss of that most valuable treasure: the immortal soul."

Yikes!

Encampment at Valley Forge

Despite the congressional ban, George Washington himself recognized the importance of entertainment as a distraction. He asked for his favorite play, Cato, set during the Roman Civil War, to be performed for the troops after the harsh winter at Valley Forge.

The storytelling seed has been planted deep within all of us. Its branches weave through time, barrel over social status, and travel across continents.

Welcome to America, Live Theater!

Titanic: Legacy of Betrayal

A TIME-SLIP NOVEL

A secret. A key. Much was buried on the Titanic, but now it's time for resurrection.

Follow two intertwining stories a century apart. 1912 - Matriarch Olive Stanford protects a secret after boarding the Titanic that must go to her grave. 2012 - Portland real estate agent Ember Keaton-Jones receives the key that will unlock the mystery of her past... and her distrusting heart.

To buy: Amazon

Kathleen E. Kovach is a Christian romance author published traditionally through Barbour Publishing, Inc. as well as indie. Kathleen and her husband, Jim, raised two sons while living the nomadic lifestyle for over twenty years in the Air Force. Now planted in northeast Colorado, she's a grandmother and a great-grandmother—though much too young for either. Kathleen has been a longstanding member of American Christian Fiction Writers. An award-winning author, she presents spiritual truths with a giggle, proving herself as one of God's peculiar people.

Website
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The Dahlonega Mint

2026-06-10T23:30:00.000-05:00

by Denise Farnsworth

By the middle of the 1830s, the Georgia Gold Rush was in full swing. Miners who had first filled their pockets (or goose quills, the early method of storage and measurement for payment) with gold dust panned directly from the streams had moved on to tunneling into the hills with vein mining. Boom towns sprang up where gold dust and nuggets could be traded directly for provisions and services. Larger mining operations offered script called "miner's money" that could be redeemed at company stores. But for those who wanted to secure their gold, a problem arose.

Miners could send their earnings to the Philadelphia mint or deposit it at the branch bank in Savannah. But they would receive only two-thirds of the gold’s estimated value at the time of deposit, with the balance paid when the mint fixed the bullion’s value. Or they could use a private minter like Templeton Reid in Gainesville. But a letter to the editor of the Georgia Courier revealed that Reid’s coins held less than face value…which was true because he’d failed to account for silver and tin alloy.

In 1834, a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate allowed for the establishment of branch mints in the South. By the next year, the locations for these mints had been fixed—New Orleans, Louisiana; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Dahlonega, Georgia. Dahlonega’s mint was to be constructed using the same plans as the Charlotte Mint. Architect William Strickland, well known for his Greek Revival style, designed a structure of two stories composed of brick, covered with stucco, and containing twenty-seven rooms.

Lawyer and Methodist minister Ignatius Few was appointed commissioner in charge of the new mint. He purchased ten acres just south of town from William Worley for $1050. Few quickly encountered multiple challenges inherent to the mint’s remote mountain location, such as securing bricks, stone, lumber, and good labor. Benjamin Towns of Athens won the construction bid and agreed to finish the mint within eighteen months.

By early 1837, Few allowed the delivery of machinery although construction was not quite complete. Fifteen large crates containing over $15,000 of equipment including two state-of-the-art steam presses, shipped from Philadelphia to Savannah, then upriver to Augusta. There they began a two-week trip on ten wagons to Dahlonega.

Dr. Joseph Singleton

Receiving wind of the construction delays, the Philadelphia mint dispatched inspector Franklin Peale, who arrived in Dahlonega in November 1837. His report: “The workmanship of the Mint edifice is abominable.” And it went on from there to describe inadequate bricks, a leaky roof, and defective first-floor arches. By the time the mint opened in February 1838 under Superintendent Dr. Joseph Singleton, the contractor was still at work, the water pump to supply the steam engine did not work, and copper and silver necessary to the coining process had not arrived.

Despite these technical problems and a host of staffing issues and in-fighting that followed, almost a thousand ounces of gold were deposited during the first two weeks the mint was open for business. The first coins, eighty half eagles, were struck on April 21, 1838. The first quarter eagle was minted almost a year later. In 1849, gold dollars were produced. The mint operated until the Civil War began in 1861.

Dahlonega quarter eagles

For a deep dive into the staffing and operations of the Dahlonega Mint, you can consult The Neighborhood Mint by Sylvia Gailey Head and Elizabeth W. Etheridge. For a fictional romance about the town of Dahlonega during the opening days of the mint, try my latest release, The Schoolmarm and the Miner. A teacher seeking independence. A widower guarding his heart. In Georgia's gold country, the richest prize may be the love they’re afraid to claim. https://www.amazon.com/Schoolmarm-Miner-Twenty-Niners-Georgia-Gold-ebook/dp/B0GMRS3Q88/

Denise Farnsworth, formerly Denise Weimer, writes historical and contemporary romance mostly set in Georgia and also serves as a freelance editor and the Acquisitions & Editorial Liaison for Wild Heart Books. A wife and mother, she always pauses for coffee, chocolate, and old houses.

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